


Within Arm's Reach

by Crowned_Ladybug



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: M/M, apparently i write well when loopy bc this got received p well, one of my favourite ships to write tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 20:13:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12283578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowned_Ladybug/pseuds/Crowned_Ladybug
Summary: This afternoon he’s just going to enjoy a simple date with Marvin, no saving lives or fighting crime, just him and his quite literally magical boyfriend going out for a coffee.He’s really looking forward to it.





	Within Arm's Reach

It’s a lovely day. It’s early autumn, just past the point when you could still get away with wearing shorts. The leaves aren’t yet turning golden and the sun still gives warmth, enough to be reminiscent of the dying summer but not enough to go swimming or boil in the heat. It’s the best time of the year if you ask Jackie.

Speaking of Jackie, he’s strolling down a quaint street cheerfully. Now he’s just Jackie, an average guy in jeans and a flannel shirt, not Jackieboy man the town’s capeless hero. His red suit and blue mask are resting at home. This afternoon he’s just going to enjoy a simple date with Marvin, no saving lives or fighting crime, just him and his quite literally magical boyfriend going out for a coffee.

He’s really looking forward to it.

He knows the town like the back of his hand and at this point he could probably find his way to this particular café blindfolded. Him and Marvin have come here so many times in the past and they both really like the place. It’s homey, quiet, the coffee and hot chocolate are absolutely heavenly and all the employees know them by name at this point.

Now, just one more left to take at the next corner, Jackie thinks to himself, and you’re right there.

His cheerful mood is shattered as soon as he rounds the corner. The spring leaves his step as he comes to an abrupt halt and stares in shock.

The little café, usually quiet and peaceful is now hidden behind the ambulance cars and fire trucks parked on the street and halfway up the sidewalk. The asphalt under Jackie’s feet is wet and there’s soot mixing with the lazily flowing water. He steps aside to find a more dry spot before he could realise what it means. There’s people rushing in every direction, swerving between the parked cars and exchanging rushed half sentences, and no one pays any mind to Jackie.

His knees feel weak and his hands numb as sudden panic rushes over him. He was supposed to meet Marvin here and now he’s nowhere to be seen. His mind immediately supplies him with the worst possibilities and for a moment he’s frozen on the spot. Marvin...he needs to find Marvin.

With a quick wave he catches the attention of a paramedic rushing by. They stop, looking Jackie over with questioning green eyes and wait for him to state his business.

“Excuse me, I,” he shudders. Get yourself together, _damn_ _it_. “Have you seen a guy, uh...a bit shorter than me, blue eyes, really pretty, wears a cat mask?” He feels his heartbeat in his throat as he waits for the medic to process his question (they don’t exactly seem to be on top of the situation either) and he can’t remember the last time he’s felt so shaky. A hero should not lose his cool so easily, he knows, but he can’t keep his anxiety down thinking something horrible could have happened to Marvin.

“That way,” the medic points behind themselves and to the right. “Behind that truck is where I last saw him I think.”

Jackie thanks them quietly but he’s not sure they even hear as the next second they’re both running opposite ways to their own destinations. Jackie’s stumbling legs carry him way slower than he would like, but he already feels like he might fall over any second. The medic never said anything about what condition Marvin was in, they just said where they last saw him. That could mean anything, from minor injury to...No, he can’t think about that, not right now. But the fire trucks and the stench of smoke indicates that there had been a fire and Jackie has seen Marvin accidentally burn himself with fire magic all too many times. The memories of burns running up Marvin’s arms swim around his mind and he’s helpless to fight them. He knows that Marvin has never been as wary of fire as he should be and it scares Jackie now more than ever. What if he was too daring again, started running for safety too late…

He can’t take his own thoughts anymore. What if Marvin is hurt, what if he’s _gone_ , what if, what if, you let this happen, you are the one supposed to protect him, if only you have gotten here sooner...He reaches the corner of the truck he was pointed towards by the paramedic just in time before he’s ready to just curl up into a ball and cry without ever finding out the truth. There’s already tears running down his face and he’s too busy panicking to wipe them away.

He almost collapses when he sees him.

Marvin is sitting on a bench outside a store near the charred café, wrapped up in a blanket and looking shaken but otherwise unharmed. The relief rushing over Jackie is enough to knock the breath out of him for a second.

“Marvin!” he cries, voice breaking, and he lurches forward to run to him. Marvin scrambles up as soon as he sees him, jumping to meet him in a hug.

They meet in a messy tangle of arms as they grasp each other as tight as they can. Jackie lets his tears run freely. He presses Marvin close to his chest, repeating to himself that’s he’s okay, he’s alive, _he’s okay_ , waiting for his breaths to calm a little. Slowly he begins to rock the two of them side to side and he buries his face in Marvin’s hair. He’s okay.

“God damn it, I was so scared,” Jackie whispers though he isn’t sure Marvin even hears him. “I was so scared...Gosh, are you okay? Are you hurt? What...what happened?”

Marvin doesn’t respond, he just holds onto Jackie tightly, hands curling into he back of his shirt and face hidden in his shoulder. He doesn’t say a word and his breaths come shallow. Jackie realises just how scared he must have been. He kisses the top of his head and whispers sweet nothings to him to calm him down. Seeing Marvin scared is not a usual sight, but Jackie will take it any day over the nightmares his mind had presented him with just moments ago.

Once Marvin’s arms loosen around him (just the tiniest bit, just enough that Jackie can tell the worst of his panic is gone) Jackie guides the two of them back to the bench Marvin had been sitting on. Marvin immediately draws his feet up so he can press himself closer into Jackie’s side and he still holds onto his shirt like he’s holding onto dear life. Jackie catches a glimpse of his face and sees that his eyes are still wide open in shock. He does his best to comfort him, holding him close and stroking his hair, twirling loose strands around his fingers.

When Marvin’s hand falls to wrap around his waist instead of clutching at his shirt, Jackie knows he’s feeling better. He stops messing with Marvin’s hair (which Marvin is admittedly a little disappointed about) and intertwines their fingers instead. He wants to ask what happened, but he isn’t sure how, or if he should at all. Marvin still seems so shaken.

But Marvin starts talking on his own, drawing small circles into the back of Jackie’s hand absently. “There was a fire,” he says quietly and Jackie doesn’t interrupt him simply because that part was obvious. “I was just sitting inside waiting for you and...I didn’t even realise people around me were panicking for a bit. When I got up and realised...what was going on, they...the fire was already everywhere,” he takes as shaky breath and his grip on Jackie’s hand tightens. Jackie squeezes his hand in response and hopes it’s reassuring. “I didn’t know what to do...”

“Are you okay?” is all Jackie can say. He can’t even begin to imagine what Marvin must have gone through.

“Yeah, yeah...yeah,” he smiles fondly at Jackie’s worry. “I just got scared is all.”

Jackie doesn’t say anything. It’s obvious Marvin thought he was only asking about physical injury, but he can ask again later. They can go over all of this when they get home.

“I was so scared...” Jackie starts suddenly and now Marvin is the one squeezing his hand in hopes of providing comfort. “When I saw all the...all the people and the cars and everything...I was so scared of what...I would see when I found you... _if_ I found you...” He takes a deep breath and tries to swallow the lump in his throat. He doesn’t want to start crying again. “For a bit there I thought...I thought I was going to lose you.”

Marvin hums. “I honestly don’t even remember what I was thinking when it happened. I was just...scared,” He sighs heavily, then turns his head so that his nose presses into Jackie’s neck. “And when it was all over I just really wished you were here.”

“Well, at least I’m here now,” Jackie offers, knowing that it’s not much of a comfort. You got here late and couldn’t protect your boyfriend. Congratulations on being the worst hero and worst date ever.

But Marvin doesn’t seem to mind. He just nuzzles Jackie’s neck and Jackie laughs quietly.

It takes a little longer until both of them feel like they can stand and walk again without collapsing. The aftermath of their adrenaline rush has left them both feeling drained. Jackie watches as Marvin takes the blanket from around his shoulders and folds it neatly, placing it on the back of the bench. Then he reaches his hand out and the magician takes it, pressing into Jackie’s side tiredly, and Jackie can see his eyes sparkle just a bit brighter behind his mask now.

“You wanna go home?” Jackie asks as they start walking away from the charred café.

“Yes please.”

They agree on that, neither of them having the energy nor the heart to have that date now. They decide to postpone it instead.

“Disney marathon?” grins Jackie, looking at Marvin with a twinkle in his eyes. “I can make us some top tier hot chocolate, too.”

Marvin laughs even if it’s not funny at all, but Jackie knows it’s more his relief showing. “Hmm, yeah, I’d love that,” he presses a quick kiss to Jackie’s cheek. “Especially if I can choose the first movie.”

“Anything for you,” Jackie winks and Marvin can’t help laughing again.

“Wow, cheesy.”

“Yeah, what of it?”

They laugh.

  


That night they fall asleep together on the couch after several top notch animated movies. Jackie has his head lying on Marvin’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, ever constant and reassuring. It lulls him to sleep, tells him that Marvin is alive and safe, and that he will still be there the following morning.

And he is.


End file.
